Ruffling attachment for sewing-machines



(ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1-.

P. L. GOODRIGH' & R. S. BARNUM. RUFFLING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MAGIIINES.

No. 552,494. Patented Dec. 31, 1896.

(ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. L. GOODRIG-H & R. S. BARNUM. RUFPLING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

No. 552,494. 4 Patented Dec. 31, 189-5.

H [WW/MW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK L. GOODRICH AND RUSSEL S. BARNUM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RUFFLING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,494, dated December 31, 189E Application filed February 16, 1892. semi No. 421,773. (Model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK L. GOODRICH and RUssEL S. BARNUM, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rufflers; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the separator-plate. Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross-section through the supporting-frame, showing the intermediate bearing for the ruffiing-b'lade. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the carryingframe for the rufliing-blade. Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the spring for the secondary presser-foot. Fig. 8 is a top or plan view of the secondary presser-foot. Fig. 9 is a bottom view of the ruffiing-blade with the rear portion broken off. Fig. 10 is a detail showing a modification of the acting end of the rufl'ling-blade. Fig. 11 is a top view 'of the nut for the adjusting-screw. Fig. 12 is a cross-section of the nut for the adjustingscrew. Fig. 13 is a top or plan view of the combined band and piping gages and shirring device, showing the adjustment in one position. Fig. 14 is atop or plan view of the same, showing the adjustment in the opposite direction. Fig, 15 is'a bottom view of the device.

The objects of this invention are to improve the construction and operation of ruffling attachments for sewing-machines, in respect to adjusting the actuating-lever in its throw from the needle-bar, and in respect to its throw to compensate for wear of the ruffiing-blade; to adjust the rufflingblade for the desired crimp, and have such adjustment positive in both directions through one and the same adjusting means; to have the adjusting device for regulating the throw of the blade for the production of crimps of varying'widths operate to change the adjustment simultaneously in both directions; to improve the attachment of the separator-plate; to improve the acting end of the ruffiing-blade; to improve the construction and operation of the presser-foot by which perfect compensation for irregularities can be had; to give the separator-blade an intermediate traveling bearing by which the pressure will not be changed with the advance of the ruffling-blade; to improve the construction and operation of the shirring device, and to improve generally the construction and operation of the ruffier as a whole; and its nature consists in the several parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims as new.

In the drawings, A represents the actuating-lever, pivotally mounted on a pin or pivot to, projecting out from the standard or upright portion of the main frame, and having a fork A at its forward or free end for connection with the needle-bar, as usual, and the upper arm of the fork A has at its outer end a cut-away portion forming a drop a, which allows the needle-bar to rise without affecting the actuating-lever beyond a certain point, and stops the throw of the ruffiing-blade at that point.

B is an adjusting-plate pivotally mounted on the pin or pivot a, and projecting forward at the side of the actuating-lever A, and having in its forward end a slot 1), through which passes a set-screw b, the shank or stem of which enters the body of the actuating-lever A. This plate B can be locked to the actuating-lever A and enables the actuating-lever to be adjusted to compensate for wear of the ruffling-blade, to do which the set-screw b is loosened and the lever A adjusted, as required, and when adjusted the set-screw is turned down, locking the lever A and plate B together and holding the lever in its adj usted position.

O is a plate having a rearward extension 0, with a turned upper portion 0, standing at right angles to the plate, and having a slot 0. This plate 0 is placed on the pin or pivot a, which pin or pivot passes through a curved slot 0 in the plate 0, which slot allows the plate 0 to be raised or lowered on the arc of a circle from its pivotal point.

D is an arm on the plate C, located below the actuating-lever A, and having a contact (Z, which engages a contact cZ on the actuating-lever.

E is an arm on the plate 0, located above the actuating-lever A, and having a contact e, which engages a contact e on the plate B in the arrangement shown.

F is a plate pivotally mounted on the pin or pivot a. To this plate F is secured by a suitable pin or pivot f the plate 0, said pivotpin f being located above and forward of the pivot a of the actuating-lever. This gives the plate 0 a travel in adjusting by which the contacts (Z and e are caused to simultaneously either approach or recede from the contact portions of the lever Athat is to say, as the plate (1 is rotated on its pivot f by means of an adj Listing-screw G, hereinafter described, the said contacts (Z and c travel in arcs concentric with said pivot The body of the actuating-lever A, provided with the contact-shoulders (Z 6, extends between said contacts (Z and e of the plate 0, and as the said plate is rotated on its pivot bymeans of the said adjustin g-screw the contacts (Z and c by swinging away from the pivot a and toward the free end of the lever A are carried into such position as to restrict the limits to which said lever may oscillate without moving the plate G. This approach of the contacts (Z and e to the lever A on each side thereof is not equal, the contact (Z swinging on a relatively long radius being carried toward the lower side of the lever much more rapidly than the contact 6 approaches the upper side. The movement or throw of the plate 0, by the engagement therewith of the actuating-lever, is thus adjusted the proper proportional amount in each direction, giving the connected ruffling-blade a correspondingly-changed travel by which the acting end of the latter will move an increased distance backward from the needle to gather the fabric for a wide crimp and a proportionally-increased distance forward beyond the needle in order that the larger crimp may be carried into proper relation tothe needle before being tacked or sewed by the latter, and vice versa. The length of throw will be decreased in proper proportions on each side of the needle when the plate 6 is adjusted in the reverse direction.

G is an adj Listing-screw having collars g to receive the edges of the plate 0 on both sides of the slot 0", and the stem of this adjustingscrew G enters a nut formed with the plate F, which nut is formed of an upper and lower portion g, with a slot or division g between them, and one of the sections g is sprung out of line with the other section, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, so as to form a lock, by which the adjusting-screw is firmly held against turning when the necessary adjustment of the plate 0 is had through the adjustingscrew G.

H is the sliding bar for moving the rufl'lingblade, which bar has cogs or teeth h, meshing with cogs or teeth 7t on the plate F, and the plate F is actuated from the lever A through the contacts cZ d c e, and these contacts are adjusted by moving the plate G through the adj usting-screw G, changing the swing of the cog or segment h, and changing the travel of the plate or bar 11 for the required throw of the rufliing-blade.

I is the main frame of the device, having a standard or upright portion 1, to which is pivoted the actuating-lever A and cog segment plate F by the pin or pivot a, and the sliding bar or plate H is attached to the main frame I by headed pins 2" entered into the frame I and passing through slots i in the plate or bar II, and the main frame I has a side extension I, with a neck or extension Z.

J is the separator, formed of a thin plate of metal, as usual, and having a needle-slot] and a tongue j and guide-slotj for the material. The separator J has a side extension J turned on itself to form a top plate J, in which is a hole 7' and a recess 7' K is a clamping or locking lever for attaching the separator to the frame of the device, for which purpose the top plate J is placed on the side plate I for a pin on such side plate I to enter the hole j and for the notch to engage the pivot k of the lever K, as

shown in Fig. 2, when the clamping-lever can be thrown over for its end k to overlie the top of the pin 7c, locking and clamping the top plate J to the side plate I" and firmly securing the separator J to the frame of the device; and to detach the separator all that is required is to throw the locking or clamping lever around, so that its body is not crosswise of the plate J, when the plate J can be lifted from the pin 7e and the notch j be disengaged from the pin or pivot 70, allowing the separator to be withdrawn and removed.

L is the rufiiing or crimping blade, the forward or acting end of which is formed of a series of tongues Z, and each side of each tongue is turned to form an edge Z in one construction shown, and these edges Z each terminate in a sharp point Z, and between each tongue Z is a slot or opening Z, which slots allow the tongues to have the necessary elasticity for the points Z to firmly engage the band or piece to be crimped or ruffled, and instead of having both sides of each tongue Z formed with a turned edge Z the tongues could be made narrower or otherwise formed with an edge on one side only, as shown in Fig. 10, Fig. 9 showing the construction with both sides of each tongue turned.

M is a support extending out from the sliding bar or plate II and having the rear end of the ruffling or crimping blade L attached thereto, so that with the reciprocating move ment of the sliding bar or plate the ruffiing or crimping blade will be advanced and receded.

N is a bar extending out from the sliding bar or plate II and connected by a pin. it or IIO otherwise with the ruffling or crimping blade L, forward of the support M and intermediate of the support M and acting end of the blade L, giving the blade an intermediate bearing by which it will be held or maintained under the same degree of pressure or elasticity the full length of its stroke. Instead of having this intermediate bearing projecting out from the sliding bar or plate H, such bearing could obviously be otherwise formed, so long as it furnished a bearing for the blade traveling with the blade. \Ve do not, therefore, desire to be limited to the details herein shown.

0 is a secondary presser-foot having a bearing-face 0, the outer end of which has an upward turn for the ready admission of the material, and the under face of which is formed curved, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and between the body of the secondary presser-foot O and its acting portion 0 is a slot 0 for the passage of the band, and the acting portion of this secondary press'er-foot has a needle-hole or slot '0. r I I j P is a plate located'on top of the body of the secondary presser-foot O, and having on each end a spring-arm or tongue p, engaging the top of the body of the secondary presserfoot, with an intermediate tongue or arm 19', separated from the end tongues by an opening p. The intermediate tongue 19 has therein a hole for the passage of an attaching-pin 19 the stem of which passes through a hole 0 in the body of the secondary presser-foot O and is secured in the main presser-foot. At the rear of the pin 23 and in line therewith is a point or. bearing 0, on which the secondary presser-foot can rock to adjust itself to inequalities and have the acting edge or face 0 bear evenly and uniformly on the material, and such self-adjustment of the secondary presser-foot is permitted by the spring-plate P. \Vhile we consider the spring herein shown a preferable form, obviously other forms could be used for holding the secondary presser-foot down to its work and allow such foot to be self-adjusting on the material.

Q is the main presser-foot, attached to the tongue or extension '0' of the main frame and having a shank Q for attachment to the machine, as usual, through a slot q.

R is a piping or folded-band guide attached to the main frame, as usual, and having a portion 0, with a slot 4' and a slot 0* and a tongue 0 as usual.

S is the guide for the strip to be ruffled, which guide has a sleeve m for attachment to the arm M, and to which latter is rigidly attached the rear end of the rufliing or crimping blade, and this guide S has a tongue 3 and a slot 5-, as usual, and is adjustable on the arm or support M by means of the sliding sleeve m.

T is the combined band and piping gages and separator-plate for use in shirring, in lieu of the separator-plate J, the same being formed of a thin plate of metal having a needle-slot t.

U is a side arm or extension of the separator T for attaching the separator to its base or supporting plate.

V is the piping-gage, formed with the separator-plate T, and having a tongue 1;, with an opening 02 between the end of the tongue and the edge of the plate and a slot 41 V is the band-gage, formed with the separator-plate T, and having an arm '0 and a tongue o, with a space v between the end of the tongue and the edge of the plate T, and a slot o between the tongue 0 and the arm 1;.

The gages V and V are set out of line, so that the piping-gage stands outward from the line of the band-gage, by which the piping will be projectedslightly beyond the edge of the band, as usual.

W is the gage for the raw edge of the band, formed with the separator-pl ate T, and having a tongue 10, with an opening 1.0 between the end of the tongue and the edge of the plate, and having a slot 20 and coacting with these parts is a tongue 10 and a slot 10 as usual.

X is the gage for guiding the band, coacting with the band-gage V to maintain a straightline travel for the band, and this gage X is formed with the separator-plate T, and has a tongue 00, with an'arm an, and an opening 00' between the end of the tongue 00 and the edge of the plate, and a'slot 00 between the tongue 00 and the arm 00, and a slot 410 forward of the arm as.

Y is the base-plate or support for the separator and gages forming the shirring attachment, which plate, in the form shown, is a counterpart of the ordinary plate for the shuttle-race of a sewing-machine, and takes the place of such plate when the shirring attachment is used; but such plate could be otherwise formed. This plate Y has a projecting pin a, which enters a straight-line slot 11., standing at right angles to the needleslot in the separator-plate T, and the arm or extension U has a second slot 11, in line with the slot 11-.

Z is a lever having a head pivoted to the plate Y by a pin or pivot ,2", which pin or pivot passes through the slot u of the arm or extension U, and the head of the lever Z has an eccentric slot z,which engages a pin .2, projecting from the arm U, so that by turning the lever Z the eccentric slot 2 will act on the pin .2" and move the arm or extension in a straight line, and as the arm or extension U is a part of the separator-plate T it follows that the needle-slot in such plate and the gages formed therewith must move simultaneously, and such movement will be in a straight line, maintaining the parallelism between the needle-slot and the gages.

In using this shirring device the separatorplate J is removed from the ruffier, the front shuttle race-plate of the machine removed, and the plate Y, carrying the plate T and connected gages, substituted for them.

The operation of the ruffier will be readily the placing of the material on which the ruflie is to be sewed and the running of the ruflie thereon, and in producing the ruffle the crimping or ruffling blade is advanced and receded through the reciprocation of the sliding bar or plate, which is moved by the oscillation of the gear-plate F, and the gear-plate is oscillated through the engagement of the actuating-lever with the contacts of the adjusting-plate 0. Each forward throw of the ruffling-blade picks up the rufiiingband and forms the crimp, which is carried forward by the ruffling blade beneath the secondary presser-foot, where it is caught and held until caught by the thread with the descent of the needle. The wear on the acting end of the ruffiing-blade is compensated for through the adjusting-plate B, and such compensation is had by releasing the set-screw Z) and moving the actuating-lever, as required, for a length of throw for the rufiiing-blade, and then setting the screw 12 down and locking the adjusting-plate and the actuating-lever to each other, and by this arrangement a full-length throw for the rufiiing-blade can be maintained when the plate is foreshortened by the effects of wear and sharpening, enabling a rufiiing-blade to be used for a long time before becoming so worn as to be useless in not having a proper length of throw. The adjustm ent of the throw for the ruffiin g or crimping blade is had through the adjusting-plate V C, and the contact of such plate with the actuating-iever on opposite sides of the lever, and as these contacts travel in the arcs of different circles with the lever-pivot as a center, and have radii of different lengths, and the point from which they swing is at one side of the leverpivot, it will be seen that each contact moves toward the lever or from the lever with the swing of the plate; but such travel varies in degree, owing to the different arcs in which the contacts travel, but the travel is simultaneous for both contacts, and the result is an adjustment on both sides of the actuating-lever at the same time, the adjustment for one side being greater than the adjustment for the opposite side, producing the eifeet of a corresponding adjustment for the throw of the ruffiing or crimping blade, by which the acting end of such blade will have a longer throw on both sides of the needle for a wide crimp and a shorter throw on both sides of the needle for a narrow crimp, giving an equalization for the crimps with the throw of the blade. The crimp is carried by the crimping or ruffling blade beneath the secondary presser foot, and as such foot is self-adjustable in relation to the material and the surface on which it rests it will be seen that the crimp is held for the entire width of the secondary presser-foot firmly, preventing any slipping of the crimp by an unequal pressure of the presser-foot, which holds the crimp.

The ruffling or crimping blade should have a uniform pressure or action throughout its travel, and this end is attained by the intermediate bearing, which travels with the blade and maintains a uniform and equal pressure for the blade its entire stroke, thereby pre venting any liability of the crimp slipping or becoming disengaged in the travel of the blade by the want of a sufficient resistance, and by giving the acting end of the blade needle-points the engagement of the blade with the material is assured, and by forming these needle-points with turned edges on the tongues for the acting end the points can be kept sharp at all times.

The forming of the shirring separator-plate for the shirring attachment and the gages of such device of one and the same piece,andhaving the attached arm for the separator and gages likewise formed with the same piece, and giving the separator and gages a straightline travel in adjustment adds to the efficiency of the device and maintains a true parallelism between the separator and the gages in any adjustment which may be required, and the shirring attachment, in so far as relates to placing the bands and ruflle-strip therein, operates the same as other shirring attachments.

It will be obvious that the device may be used equally well for shirring when it is not desired to apply either band or piping, the fabric which is to be shirred simply passing over the plate and gages, while the function of the device as a separator-plate remains the same.

\Vhat we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A rufller comprising a pivoted actuating lever having a connecting fork provided with upper and lower fork arms for engagement with a part on the needle bar, the upper fork arm being provided with a recess in its engaging face whereby the needle bar is permitted to rise to a certain extent without actuating said lever beyond the limit of its normal stroke, but said part on the needle bar is at all times embraced by said fork, substantially as set forth.

2. A rufiier comprising a frame, a bladeactuating plate pivotally mounted on said frame, an actuating lever pivoted to the frame concentrically with the pivot of the blade actuating plate, a throw adjusting plate pivoted to the blade-actuating plate at a point to one side of the lever pivot, upper and lower contact points on said throw-adjusting plate for engagement with the upper and lower sides, repectively, of said actuating lever, means adjustably connecting the throw-adjusting plate with the blade-actuating plate, and a ruffle-blade operatively connected with said blade-actuating plate, substantially as set forth.

3. A ruiiler, comprising an actuating lever, an adjusting plate pivoted at one side of the lever pivot, an upper and lower arm on the adjusting plate, a contact for each arm with the actuating lever, a gear plate, an adjust ing screw engaging the adjusting plate, and a nut for the adjusting screw on the gear plate, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. A ruffier comprising an actuating lever, an adjusting plate pivoted at one side of the lever pivot, upper and lower contact points on said adjusting plate, one on each side of the actuating lever for engagement with the upper and lower sides of the latter respectively, a'pivoted gear plate adjustably connected with said adjusting plate, and a ruffier blade operatively connected with said gear plate, substantially as set forth.

5. A rufiler, comprising an actuating lever, an adjusting plate for the lever, a gear plate, an adjusting screw engaging the adjusting plate, and a split nut for the adjusting screw on the gear plate, having its sections out of line, for locking the adjusting screw, substantially as specified.

6. A ruffling blade provided at its acting end with a plurality of narrow parallel strips or tongues formed integrally with the blade but separated by intervening spaces, an L- shaped flange on the longitudinal edge of each of said tongues projecting from the plane of the blade, the ends of said tongues being beveled from above so as to form sharp needle points at the lower edge of the flanges, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the main presser foot of a ruffier of a secondary presser foot mounted upon said main foot and having connection therewith by means permitting rocking motion both laterally and backwardly and forwardly, an acting shoe portion depending in front of the main foot, a transverse slot in the secondary foot for the passage of a strip of material beneath the main foot, and a plate spring having spring arms acting on said secondary foot at opposite sides of the central point of attachment of the foot and permitting compensating action in the latter, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of a shirring separator plate and a side arm for attachment, a band gage, a piping gage, an adjusting slot in the side arm standing at a right angle to the needle slot in the shirring separator plate, and an adjusting lever for giving a straight line throw to the needle slot and band and piping gages in adjusting and maintaining their parallelism, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

9. The combination of a shirring separator plate provided with a side arm for attachment, a band gage, a piping gage, adjusting slots in the side arm standing at a right angle to the needle slot in the separator plate, a pin on the side arm, a base plate, pins on the base plate projecting into the adjusting slot of the side arm, a lever mounted on one of said base plate pins, and an eccentric slot in the lever engaging the pin on the side arm, for giving the shirring separator plate and the band and piping gages a straight line movement in adjusting, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

FRANK L. GOODRIOH. RUSSEL S. BARNUM. \Vitnesses c O. W. BoND,.

F. W. ROBINSON. 

